Not tonight darling - I have a headache!

Well, we knew this already but in case you are in any doubt here are some of the top reasons why sex is good for you.

• Its good for your heart –

Sex is a form of cardio exercise which gets the heart pumping faster. Men, you will be delighted to hear if you have sex two or more times a week this can cut your risk of a fatal heart attack by half.

• Helps you lose weight –

Having sex for 30 minutes can burn off approximately 85 calories – yahoo! To put that into context pounding a treadmill for 15 minutes burns roughly 200 calories – hmmm, I know what most people would choose.….

• Relieves stress –

There is a medical explanation for why we have the “feel good” factor after sex. The brain releases endorphins during and after sex which creates a feeling of euphoria and therefore masks the negative effects of stress.

Research has also found that sex lowers your blood pressure, which is good for your health as this helps to you to keep “your cool” in stressful situations.

• Boosts your immune system –

Safe sex between healthy partners can make you better equipped to fight illness. Those who have sex once or twice a week have been shown to have higher levels of antibodies which can help protect you from respiratory diseases like the common cold and flu.

But before we get carried away studies have shown those who had sex 3 or more times a week had lower levels of antibodies.

• Reduces the risk of prostate cancer –

Research has found that men in their 20s who had five or more ejaculations per week reduced their risk of prostate cancer. While no such correlation has been found for older men, you could try and prove them wrong.

• Sex can be a beauty treatment –

While having sex, a woman’s body doubles the Oestrogen level, and this makes her hair shine and the skin becomes softer.

• Sex reduces pain –

As your endorphins are released and oxytocin (also known as the “love hormone”) is produced through sexual activity, your pain reduces. This has been known to alleviate arthritic and menstrual pain among other things. And of course headaches……..

• Helps you sleep better –

According to research, oxytocin released during orgasm helps us sleep better. Sex relaxes you, encouraging a deeper more restful sleep. That gives us something to think about, especially if you have been wondering why your partner is active one minute and out for the count the next…..

The evidence is all there – sex is good for you!

What do Recruitment Consultants do all day?!

In a nutshell – the Recruitment Process

There are about 20 stages within this process, but we will outline the main ones.

The aim of the Recruitment Process is to ensure the existence of the best possible pool of suitable qualified applicants from which job vacancies can be filled as and when required.

Many Recruitment Agencies specialise in certain types of work such as a Medical Recruitment Agency.

They can help you by submitting you for vacancies suitable to you (the Candidate) from the selection of ‘active jobs’ they have at any given time.

Once a job is in, the process then involves attracting, screening and selecting qualified Candidates for that job.

Listed below is the step by step Recruitment Process:

• Job vacancy request is received by the Recruitment Agency from a Client Company

• Job is advertised/displayed on internal and external recruitment websites, newspapers and throughout the Social Media.

• All particulars of the job are ascertained including Job Description, location, package on offer

• The Recruitment Agency searches its internal database for suitable candidates and contact is made by phone or mail shot depending on the numbers.

• Suitable Candidates are shortlisted and assessed for matching to the job

• The Recruitment Agency interviews the candidates either face to face or by phone, reviewing every aspect of their CV, the Job Description and the Company

• Suitable candidates CVs are submitted only with the following in place –
  • Company name
  • A full job Description
  • Company details, website etc
  • Informed consent has been given

• It is at this stage the Recruiter must ensure the Candidate has not had their CV submitted to that Company in the last 12 months either by themselves or anyone else as repeated applications can reflect badly on the Candidate and appear careless

• CV submission is followed up by the Recruitment Agency and the candidates are contacted with feedback as to why they were rejected or for an interview invite

• Proceed to interview stage, may be 1, 2 or 3 interviews and or a Power Point Presentation

• Job offer, always pending references, acceptance and start date established

• The Recruitment Agency should then follow up with the candidate on their 1^st week, 1^st month and in their 3^rd month

So now you know what Recruitment Consultants do all day!

But can an aspirin a day keep the Doctor away?

There is new evidence to suggest that taking an aspirin a day may also prevent and possibly treat cancer.

And aspirin appears not only to reduce the risk of developing many different cancers in the first place, but may also stop cancers spreading around the body.

Professor Peter Rothwell, from Oxford University, and colleagues, who carried out the latest work, had already linked aspirin with a lower risk of certain cancers, particularly bowel cancer.

However, before we all get too excited, Professor Peter Rothwell has also stated “There are risks of Aspirin as well as benefits.”

Experts warn that there is still not enough proof to recommend it to prevent cancer cases and deaths and warn that the drug can cause dangerous side effects like stomach bleeds.

Prof Peter Johnson, of Cancer Research UK, said it was still a good idea for people thinking of taking aspirin to discuss it with their GP because of the possible side effects.

Life and Health is about compromise. Nothing is wholly good or bad.

For example:

• Red wine (strictly in moderation) has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease
• Red meat is a good source of iron but again should be eaten in moderation
• Chocolate with a high cocoa content is full of antioxidants

The question remains:

Can an aspirin a day keep the Doctor away?

Look After Your Mental Health

Roughly 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in the course of a year and women are more likely to have been treated for a mental health problem than men.

With the current economic climate causing all sorts of stresses and strains it is more important than ever to look after your Mental Health.

Mental/Psychological disorders can stem from a wide range of problems e.g. Eating Disorders, Addiction, Bereavement, Depression.

So what can you do to help to look after your mental health?

Some simple changes can have a huge impact on your mental health and well being.

• Talk About Your Feelings

Talk about your feelings as this can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled. Talking about your feelings is not a sign of weakness. It is part of taking control of your wellbeing and doing what you can to stay healthy.

• Eat Well

There are strong associations between what we eat and how we feel – for example, caffeine and sugar can have an immediate effect. But food can also have a long-lasting effect on your mental health.

• Stay In Touch

Friends and family are very important. They can make you feel included and cared for. They can suggest different views from whatever is going on inside your own head. This can help keep you grounded and help solve practical problems.

• Take A Break

You know the old saying – a change is as good as a rest. A change of scene or a change of pace is good for your mental health. Take a five minute breather from cleaning your kitchen, a lunch break at work or a weekend exploring somewhere new. A few minutes can be enough to de-stress you.

• Accept Who You Are

Some of us make people laugh, others are good at maths, some cook fantastic meals. We are all different. Learn to be happy with who you are.

• Stay Active

Experts believe exercise releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and help you concentrate, sleep, look and feel better. Regular exercise also keeps the brain and your other vital organs healthy.

• Drink Sensibly

We often drink alcohol to change our mood. Some people drink to deal with fear or loneliness, but the effect is only temporary.

• Ask For Help

Nobody is superhuman. From time to time we get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when things go wrong. If things are getting too much for you and you feel you cannot cope, ask for help.

• Do Something You Are Good At

What do you love doing? What activities/pastimes can you lose yourself in? Enjoying yourself helps beat stress. Doing an activity you enjoy probably means you’re good at it and achieving something boosts your self-esteem.

• Care For Others

Caring for others is often an important part of keeping up relationships with people close to you. It can even bring you closer together.

“Mental health is a most important, maybe the most important public health issue, which even the poorest society must afford to promote, to protect and invest in.” (World Health Organisation)

Find someone you can turn to for help, e.g. Family Doctor, General Practitioner, (G.P.), Husband/Wife/Partner, Close Friend, Counsellor/Therapist, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother.

There are many organisations involved with Mental Health issues and able to help:

Samaritans

Aware

Mental Health Ireland

Grow

Schizophrenia Ireland

Console

Irish Association of Suicidology

Bodywhys

Irish Advocacy Network

Be good to yourself and look after your mental health.

The importance of the right diet and good nutrition and encouraging healthy eating habits from an early age is imperative in combating Ireland’s growing obesity epidemic.

Most childhood obesity is caused by simply eating too much and not enough exercise.

Our children are playing less outside less and spending more time indoors watching television or playing computer games.

At the Annual General Meeting of the Irish Medical Organisation, Dr Edna Roche, Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist at Tallaght Hospital and head of Paediatrics at Trinity College, revealed that children could be weighed on their first day of primary school.

Under the proposal — which is still being discussed by specialists, General Practitioners, (GPs) the Health Service Executive, (HSE) and Department of Health officials — children as young as four will be checked for signs of obesity when they start school.

If they are considered over weight, or if their diet is seen as a potential cause for concern, their GP will be informed and they will be referred to obesity specialists for additional support.

This move is being considered at a time when Ireland’s childhood obesity levels are continuing to raise concerns across the country.

Childhood obesity has also been described by the World Health Organisation as a “global epidemic”.

Director of human health and nutrition at Safefood, Dr Clíodhna Foley-Nolan, said the weighing of children needs to become normalised, and be treated the same way an eye test is.

However, the obesity expert said, it would require parental education and a cultural shift and could not be seen as negative, insulting or something which could stigmatise a child.

“I am not sure the first day of school would be the best time, but we need to monitor children’s weight.”

She said it was important weighing was seen as part of a child’s overall well-being.

The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, states one-in-five Irish children and teenagers aged five to 17 are overweight or obese. This is despite the fact that four out of five are thought to be of average weight by their parents.

The International Obesity Task Force states 200m school children are overweight with 40-50m obese.

The Facts: Obesity in Ireland

• 300,000 Irish Children are Obese.
• This number increases by 10,000 annually.
• 1 in 5 Irish children are obese.
• The World Health Organization (WHO 1998) report shows that the prevalence of both adult and childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide.
• 11.6% and 13% of all Irish girls and 10.5% and 9.2% (5-12 years) of boys are either overweight or obese.

The need to address this problem is of paramount importance for the future and health of our children.

Encourage your child/children to make a “Bucket List” eg:

• Roll down a big hill
• Eat an apple straight from the tree
• Build a den
• Skim a stone
• Fly a kite
• Play conkers
• Hunt for treasure on a beach
• Make a mud pie
• Eat blackberries growing in the wild
• Feel like you’re flying in the wind
• Climb a huge hill
• Plant it, grow it, eat it
• Run around in the rain
• Play hopscotch

Stop the spread and have some old fashioned fun.

And therefore:

Eliminate the possibility of the question becoming a reality –

Should we weigh our school children?

Who is holding the knife in your Cosmetic Surgery?

Before undergoing any Cosmetic Surgery procedure or taking a new Cosmetic Surgery Nurse job in a Clinic – make sure you know who is holding the knife @ the Clinic/Hospital.

Cosmetic Surgery regulation will be dealt with in the context of legislative proposals for the licensing of public and private healthcare providers, the Minister for Health has said.

A Bill is being prepared to amend the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 to make it mandatory for all medical practitioners engaged in clinical practice to have adequate clinical indemnity cover in place.

The new provisions will give power to the Medical Council to refuse to grant registration to a medical practitioner who fails to provide certification demonstrating that s/he has appropriate medical indemnity cover.

“When invasive procedures are being arranged, individuals would be strongly advised to check that the services are provided by a medical practitioner who is appropriately registered with the Medical Council.

Before agreeing to undergo any procedure, individuals should ascertain the level of follow-up medical support which will be available to them after the surgery has been completed,” Dr James Reilly said.

Ensure, if undergoing ‘the knife’ in Cosmetic Surgery procedures, you know who is holding that knife.

Medical Job Seekers

As you are currently in the Medical jobs market in Ireland, it is very important you are aware of the Recruitment ‘Best Practice’ Guidelines

This is to ensure if you are using a Recruitment Agency that you are being treated in the most professional manner and being correctly represented using the National Recruitment Federation (NRF)  Code of Conduct

We are constantly being asked for advice by our job seekers (Candidates) in relation to how they ‘should be treated’ or what ‘they can expect’ from their Recruitment Agency.

The National Recruitment Federation (NRF) is an organisation set up to establish and maintain standards and codes of practice for the recruitment industry in Ireland and is there to assist all Recruitment Agencies, Candidates and Client Companies with their Recruitment processes

As a job seeker in Ireland, it is essential you are aware of the following -

General

It is a condition of Membership that all Members, Member companies and employees engaged by them shall comply with the Code of Conduct of the Federation and by the rules and regulations outlined below and any conditions or amendments to these rules as approved by the Federation.

Licensing

It is a condition of Membership that the individual, agency or company is properly licensed to operate as an employment agency within the terms of the Employment Agency Act 1971 and any amendments thereto.

Candidate Handling/Confidentiality

(a) Candidates must be treated in a courteous and dignified manner at all times. Under absolutely no circumstances will a Candidate be bullied or coerced by a member company. Their right to privacy must be respected including their right to be interviewed in a private area in accordance with health & safety regulations. Regard must be had to the Employment Equality Acts 1977 and 1998.

(b) All Candidates must be interviewed by the agency prior to being put forward to the client. (An interview may be by telephone or face-to-face however if an interview has not been face-to-face the client must be informed.)

(c) Candidates must be given full details of any job for which the agency intends to recommend them and permission must be sought from the Candidate. A Candidate’s permission must be sought and obtained before his or her details are revealed to an employer. The agency should also determine whether or not the Candidate has been approached by another agency about the same job.

(d) References must not be sought without a Candidate’s consent.

(e) Members must protect the confidentiality of any information obtained in the course of a recruitment assignment and use such information only for the purpose of staff selection and recruitment.

(f) Where testing procedures are taking place, these tests must be carried out by properly licensed and qualified testers and must comply with normal standards and ethics of test procedures.

(g) Full regard must be given to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 at all times

Temporary/Contract Candidates

(a) Rule 4 shall apply to all applications for temporary or contract employment.

(b) Full details of the work, conditions of employment, method and frequency of payment must be supplied to Candidates prior to assignment to temporary employment in accordance with requirements of current legislation.

(c) All payments, tax refunds, benefits and tax certificates must be given promptly to temporary employees when due.

Advertising

(a) Only real jobs that the Member is authorised to promote may be advertised

For jobs seekers currently looking and using Recruitment Agencies to assist in finding a new job, please be aware of these guidelines to ensure you are being represented with ‘Best Practice’

For further information, go to  -

www.nrf.ie

Recruitment Agency Advice

Who needs exercise?

With Easter just around the corner new research suggests:

Chocolate is as good for you as exercise.

 Scientists have found that small amounts of dark chocolate may improve health in a similar way to exercise.

 Research has been focused on the mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses in cells that generate energy, and discovered that a plant compound found in chocolate, called epicatechin, (a strong antioxidant which has insulin mimic action and improves heart health) appeared to stimulate the same muscle response as vigorous activity.

 A study on mice conducted in the United States by Dr Moh Malek from Wayne State University said.

 ”Mitochondria produce energy which is used by the cells in the body. More mitochondria mean more energy is produced the more work can be performed.

 ”Aerobic exercise, such as running or cycling, is known to increase the number of mitochondria in muscle cells. Our study has found that epicatechin seems to bring about the same response – particularly in the heart and skeletal muscles.”

 A specific type of epicatechin from cocoa was given to mice twice a day for 15 days.

 At the same time, these mice underwent 30 minutes of treadmill training each day.

 Researchers found that mice only fed epicatechin had the same exercise performance as those running on the treadmill.

 It is hoped that this research will lead to better ways of combating age-related muscle wasting.

 ”The number of mitochondria decreases in skeletal muscle as we age, and this affects us physically in terms of both muscle energy production and endurance,” said Dr Malek. ”Applying what we know about epicatechin’s ability to boost mitochondria numbers may provide an approach to reduce the effects of muscle ageing.”

 Middle-aged mice who both exercised and ate epicatechin showed an even greater benefits.

”It appears epicatechin treatment combined with exercised could be a viable means to offset muscle ageing,” said Dr Malek.

 He added: ”At the moment it would be a leap of faith to say the same effects would be seen in humans. But it is something we hope to identify in future studies.”

 So the next time you are on the way to the gym or about to set off on that five mile hike just remember “Chocolate is as good for you as exercise”.

Layers of the skin and damage of sun rays

We cannot emphasise enough the importance of sun protection – to limit the damage of what it can do under and to your skin.

A high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is the most important thing you can do to protect your skin and avoid skin cancer and all the nasty elements of it – eg Melanoma 

 This is a warning to use the ‘ slap, slop and slip’ expression as widely known in Australia – the country with no ozone layer that knows well the devastation the sun can cause to our delicate skin.

Slap on the hat, slip on a top and slop on the cream.

With the recent unexpected good weather we can get caught out, but if we are in the habit of applying sun cream/skin protection every day it becomes an important part of our daily routine.　

Sun damage is deadly and its effects are cumulative over time.

Dr. Pat Ormond, Consultant Dermatologist, St. James Hospital, a leading expert in skin cancer offers the following simple steps to help protect against the sun’s harmful effects

“Stay in the shade during the hottest part of the day and always wear sunglasses and a sun hat and when in the sun use a high sun factor and re-apply regularly.

By following these steps you could dramatically reduce your chances of getting skin cancer”

Dr. Ormond goes on to say “I see so many cases each year which could have been prevented by just being more careful in the sun”.

For every occasion you are in the sun without sun protection the clock is running.

Sun damage is occurring with any exposure to the sun without SPF.

To avoid this damage you should be sure that your sun cream is at least an SPF 30 and protects against UV-A and UV-B rays – (the long and short wave rays from the sun that cause the harm)

There are many different varieties of sun cream to stop the unwanted feeling of oily, grainy or greasy type protections.

As the good weather in Ireland is sporadic yet highly enjoyable –

Learn to enjoy it with the benefit of being protected and do not let it get under your skin.

Farting - good for the heart!

Fart – it’s Friday! 　

Lower your Blood Pressure and pass wind!　

It seems that flatulence/breaking wind, or otherwise – farting – lowers blood pressure.

We all know that keeping ‘wind’ in only leads to pain, raises the blood pressure and increases abdominal pressure.

There is relief in passing wind!

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, in Maryland, have discovered that the gas leading to flatulence is produced from an enzyme called CSE – a substance that also relaxes the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.

CSE production starts inside the cells that line the blood vessels. The odour comes from bacteria in the gut that generate small amounts of hydrogen sulphide, a toxic gas whose use might now be further developed to help with blood pressure treatment.

Scientists engineered mice that were deficient in CSE, depleting their levels of hydrogen sulphide. The mice were found to have blood pressure readings 20 mm/Hg higher than normal mice. They then added a blood pressure drug, methacholine, but it didn’t help. That told the researchers that hydrogen sulphide is responsible for the blood vessel relaxation.

“This study shows that smelly hydrogen sulphide is also likely to have a role in regulating blood pressure and it will be a bit of an impetus for scientists to develop more specific tools to work out what’s going on, says Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, an expert in vascular pharmacology at Barts and The London Medical School.

Now we see that low levels of hydrogen sulphide are necessary for better health, while high levels are toxic.

Scientists hope the findings will lead to new options for treating high blood pressure, a condition that has steadily become more prevalent worldwide.

Changes to your diet may be required to reduce the amount of wind/flatulence you are producing. The easiest ones are sugar, dairy, and red meat, as they are usually difficult to digest, and the undigested materials produce more gas by-products than digested products. Also, cut out the coffee and wine, as the acids and tannins stimulate the development of h.pylori bacteria in the gut that causes the need to pass gas.

Post abdominal or colon surgery, nurses look for the onset of farting/passing wind as a sign of recovery as  the bowel freezes when handled during surgery and it may take 24 – 48 hours for it to start moving again – a good fart is a good sign post Bowel Surgery!

So, ladies, in summary – keep the blood pressure down and keep passing that wind!

Men – you just carry on doing what you are very good at!

Fart – it’s Friday and it’s good for the heart!